38-2227. Child advocacy centers; requirements, duties, provision of services. (a) A child advocacy center in this state shall:

(1) Be a private, nonprofit incorporated agency or a governmental entity.

(2) Be a child advocacy center recognized by the national children's alliance.

(3) Have a neutral, child-focused facility where forensic interviews take place with children in appropriate cases of suspected or alleged physical, mental or emotional abuse or sexual abuse. All agencies shall have a place to interact with the child as investigative or treatment needs require.

(4) Have a minimum designated staff that is supervised and approved by the local board of directors or governmental entity.

(5) Have a multidisciplinary team that meets on a regularly scheduled basis or as the caseload of the community requires. The team shall include, but not be limited to, representatives from the state or local office prosecuting such case, law enforcement, child protective services, mental health services, a victim's advocate, child advocacy center staff and medical personnel.

(6) Provide case tracking of child abuse cases seen through the center. A center shall also collect data on the number of child abuse cases seen at the center, by sex, race, age, and other relevant data, the number of cases referred for prosecution, and the number of cases referred for medical services or mental health therapy.

(7) Provide medical examination services and evidence collection for physical, mental, emotional or sexual abuse, including sexual assault evidence collection pursuant to K.S.A. 65-448, and amendments thereto, on site at the child advocacy center, or provide referrals for medical examination services or evidence collection not on the site of the child advocacy center.

(8) Provide mental health therapy on site at the child advocacy center, or provide referrals for mental health therapy to a facility not on the site of the child advocacy center.

(9) Have an interagency commitment, in writing, covering those aspects of agency participation in a multidisciplinary approach to the handling of cases involving physical, mental or emotional abuse.

(10) Provide that child advocacy center employees and volunteers at the center are trained and screened in accordance with K.S.A. 65-516, and amendments thereto.

(11) Provide training for child advocacy center staff who interview children in forensic children's interview technique.

(b) Any child advocacy center within this state that meets the standards prescribed by this section shall be eligible to receive state funds that are appropriated by the legislature.

History: L. 2006, ch. 200, § 22; L. 2022, ch. 40, § 2; July 1.